Credits: Article and images by Colin Alexander Smith @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2024/02/25/depth-testing-my-seiko-skx013-dive-watch-jumping-in-at-the-deep-end-2/
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As we swam further out, the seabed gradually fell away and we dived deeper, pausing only to equalize the air pressure in our ears, just as one does in a descending airplane. Soon we passed over a heap of amphorae scattered on the seabed, which I figured were probably replicas as the original wrecks had long been excavated and moved to a museum.
By now the light from above was growing dimmer, even though it was a very sunny day, and the nose-pinching ear pressure adjustments became more frequent. Just as they tell people with a fear of heights not to look down, when diving you need to be prepared for the first time you look up and can’t see the surface.
I now realized that at about a depth of 9-10 meters, I was deeper underwater than I had ever been.
This was where things began to get interesting: although my eardrums were successfully equalizing the increased water pressure my sinuses weren’t, and a sharp pain began to develop across my forehead. Much as I wanted to continue the dive, I could feel my stress levels rising as the pain increased.
Even experienced divers are not immune to “altered perception” underwater, a mental state that can be triggered by something as simple as an equipment problem, aggressive wildlife, or simply an unplanned turn of events. In this state the diver’s perception narrows, often focusing obsessively on one thing and losing the ability to think rationally about how to deal with the situation.
If left unchecked, this can lead to growing anxiety and eventually a full-blown panic attack, which can result in potentially fatal attempts to rip off mask, oxygen tank, and regulator and make a bolt for the surface, which is utter lunacy if you are more than three or four meters below the surface.
A panicking, flailing diver also poses significant danger to his dive instructor or dive buddy, which is why diving instructors undergo specific training in dealing with a panicking diver.
It was at this point that I caught myself calculating that if I did ever want to make a break for the surface, as I did not have control over my buoyancy jacket (with a beginner, the instructor regulates this throughout the dive), I was going to have to jettison my weight belt, which was strapped on with a buckle similar to an airplane seat belt, followed by the buoyancy jacket and oxygen tank, which were attached by considerably more fiddly buckles.
Fortunately, I recognized this irrational thinking as a sure indication that I was displaying the initial signs of stress and was going to have to abort the dive. I signaled to Alan that I was “not okay” and wanted to go up. He adjusted my buoyancy jacket and we made our way quite slowly back to the surface. Once there, we tried to make my mask more comfortable by loosening the strap, but it didn’t really help so we decided to call it a day.
In spite of this experience, I am very keen to try diving again, perhaps after getting my latent sinus problem checked out by a doctor.
Oh, if you’re wondering about the depth-testing of the Seiko SKX, I never looked at the damn thing the whole time I was underwater as I had more pressing concerns. But I can report that it seems to have survived the experience too.
* This article was first published 30 September 2020 at Depth-Testing My Seiko SKX013 Dive Watch: Jumping In At The Deep End
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Credits: Article and images by Colin Alexander Smith @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2024/02/25/depth-testing-my-seiko-skx013-dive-watch-jumping-in-at-the-deep-end-2/